Terrorism
is a term of which we all have some degree of familiarity.It has received endless media attention
the past several years.Yet, for
something so regularly in the news, terrorism in many ways remains a
puzzle.You may be surprised by the
amount of disagreement surrounding this issue.What exactly is it, and how does one
define it?Who are terrorists, and
what motivates terrorists to do what they do?How does a state respond to
terrorism?What are the challenges
in so doing?

This
course allows you to come to terms with these and related questions.As the course title suggests, we will
take a global perspective in examining these issues.

Objectives

By
the end of this course, each student should be able to:

1.
form his/her own defendable definition of
terrorism

2.
understand an array of motivations for and underlying
causes of terrorism

3.
know the fundamentals of several specific terrorist
organizations

4.
understand a range of strategies for responding to and
countering terrorism

5.
know the challenges in responding to and countering
terrorism

6.
place the significance of terrorism in the larger
political context

Approach

This
course is a combination of lecture and discussion.As such, to succeed in this course you
must listen and take notes during lectures as well as actively participate in
class discussions.Reading for each
class is fairly intensive and must be done prior to each class.Pop quizzes will be given to ensure you
do the reading.Tuesdays are
primarily lecture days, and Thursdays are class discussions and debates on
prevalent topics, current events, case studies, and related
materials.

1.
Preparation for each class is essential to your success.You are expected to complete all your
class readings prior to the start of each class.To ensure that you have done so, I will
give a total of ten pop quizzes covering that day’s readings.Each quiz will consist of five multiple
choice or true-false questions, and will be given at the start of class.If you arrive to class late after the
quiz has been handed out, you will not be given the chance to take that quiz
unless you had previously notified me of your tardiness.If you miss class the day a quiz is
given, you will only be allowed to later take the quiz if I had excused you from
class that day.Excused absences
will only be given if you notify me by phone or email at least 30 minutes prior
to class start, and you have a valid reason for missing that class.Your quiz scores are worth 20% of your
final grade.

2.
Class participation includes both active participation in class discussions and
active listening during lectures.Your full attention is expected during every class.You are not to use cell phones, other
mobile devices, read newspapers, read materials for other courses, do crossword
puzzles or sleep during class.Engagement in these and other related activities will result in a
downgrade of your participation score.I base participation scores upon active listening during lectures,
substantial contributions during discussions and debates, observance of proper
classroom decorum, and regular on-time attendance in class.Your participation score is worth 20% of
your final grade.Related to this
participation, you are expected to attend every class.You will be allowed five absences.Every absence from class beyond the
fifth will result in a five point deduction from your final grade.

3.
I will post several news articles to the Blackboard prior to Tuesday’s class of
every week.You are required to
respond to at least one of these prior to the following Tuesday class on at
least ten different weeks between Week 2 and the end of Week 14.Your responses should be substantive,
well-thought-out, critical reflections on the topic of the specific
article.Your reflections should
also engage the course lectures, readings, discussions and debates.The intent behind these news articles is
two-fold: to keep you aware of the latest terrorism and counterterrorism
happenings in the world, and to encourage you to engage in an ongoing dialogue
about these with your peers.Besides responding to the articles themselves, you should respond to each
other’s responses.Once again, this
is to be an outside-the-class, ongoing dialogue throughout the semester.Your responses are worth 20% of your
final grade.

4.
Each of you will participate in a debate as well as lead your small group in
discussion on the day of your debate.For the debate, you will be given the pro or con side of an issue from
the Gottlieb textbook.You will be
responsible for being intimately familiar with both sides of the issue, but will
defend a particular position.You
will use your intimate familiarity with both sides of the issue to lead your
small group in an objective discussion of the issue prior to your debate.If you miss class on your scheduled
dates to lead your debate and group discussion, you will receive a score of 0
(zero).Make-up opportunities will
be given only in the event of extraordinary circumstances.If such circumstances arise, please
contact the instructor in advance of class as soon as possible.As a means of maintaining fairness, the
instructor reserves the right to request documentation to support an
absence.Your performance on this
debate and leading small group discussion is worth 20% of your final
grade.

5.
There will be an in-class essay on the final day of class, Thursday, 2 December,
during the normal class period.This essay will require you to answer one of three big-picture
questions.You are to answer the
question in two-three written pages.Essay duration will be one hour, fifteen minutes.Makeup in-class essays will be given
only in the event of extraordinary circumstances.If such circumstances arise, please
contact the instructor in advance of class as soon as possible.As a means of maintaining fairness, the
instructor reserves the right to request documentation to support an absence
from the in-class essay.If a
student fails to notify the instructor in advance of his/her absence, or fails
to provide any sort of documentation upon request, a score of 0 (zero) will be
given for that essay. This essay is worth 20% of your final
grade.

6.
You will not be given a final examination for this course.Nevertheless, in accordance with
university policy, you are still required to attend class during the scheduled
final exam period, which is Tuesday, 7 December, 4:00-5:50 pm.

Grading
SummaryGrading Scale

Quizzes= 20%A = 90-100

Participation = 20%B = 80-89

News Responses= 20%C = 70-79

Debate/Discussion
= 20%D = 60-69

In-class Essay= 20%F = 59 or below

Class
Schedule

Week 1Course Introduction

Tue, 24 AugSyllabus & Course Requirements Overview/Class
Introduction

Thu, 26 AugHistory of Terrorism

PART ITHE NATURE OF TERRORISM

Week 2Definition of Terrorism

Tue, 31 AugDefining Terrorism

- Howard 4-33, 42-54.

Thu, 02 SepDebate 1: Is the New Terrorism Really New?

- Gottlieb 1-33; (Howard 112-133).

Week 3Religious Intersection with Terrorism

Tue, 07 SepReligious and Ideological Explanations

- Howard 207-224, 225-247, 248-262.

Thu, 09 SepDebate 2: Does Islam Play a Role in Modern Religious Terrorism?

- Gottlieb 100-130.

Week 4Environmental Explanations of Terrorism

Tue, 14 SepEnvironmental Factors

Thu, 16 SepDebate 3: Is Poverty a Root Cause of Terrorism?

- Gottlieb 34-66.

Week 5Methods of Attack

Tue, 21 SepCBRN, Hostage-Taking, Conventional Bombings and
More

- Howard 266-287, 288-294.

Thu, 23 SepDebate 4: Is Nuclear Terrorism a Real Threat?

- Gottlieb 166-200.

Week 6State Facilitation of Terrorism

Tue, 28 SepStates as Facilitators

- Howard 88-109, 79-87, 34-41.

- Noam Chomsky, Pirates and
Emperors, Old and New: International Terrorism

in the Real World, (Cambridge, MA:
South End Press, 2002). [posted excerpts]

Thu, 30 SepDebate 5: Can Terrorism Ever Be Justified?

- Gottlieb 67-99.

Week 7Psychological Underpinnings of Terrorism

Tue, 05 OctSuicide Terrorism

- Howard 311-322, 323-338; Gottlieb 131-165.

Thu, 07 OctThe Mind of a Terrorist

- Elie Wiesel, Dawn, (New York: Bantam Books, 1982).
[all of it]

PART IIRESPONDING TO TERRORISM

Week 8Offense and Defense

Tue, 12 OctConventional Military Responses

- Howard 410-427, 483-491.

- Case Study: American
Military Retaliation for Terrorism: Judging the Merits
of

Tue, 07 DecFinal exam period 4:00-5:50 pm; No final exam will be given, but you are
required by NIU policy to come to class that day.

Course
Policies

1.
Continually coming to class late is a disruption to the whole class.I will take class attendance each day at
3:30 sharp.If you arrive in class
after attendance is taken, it is your responsibility to see the instructor
immediately after class to ensure your attendance is recorded.If you don’t, you will be marked for an
unexcused absence.Every student is
allowed to walk into class late a maximum of 5 times.For every late arrival after these
allotted 5, two points will be deducted from your final
grade.

2.
Students are expected to exercise proper classroom decorum.Please adhere to the following
rules:

-If you do arrive in
class late, do not disrupt other students while finding a seat.This usually means taking a seat with
easy access.

-If you must leave
early, you must notify the instructor in advance and take a seat very near the
exit as to minimize disruption.

-Do not walk in and
out of the classroom at will.Use
the restroom before class starts.In the rare instance in which you must use the restroom during class,
leave and reenter in as disruptive fashion as possible.

-All electronic
devices (this includes cell phones, pagers, mp3 players and iPods) should be
completely turned off and placed in your bag or pocket before you walk into
class, and remain that way until class is over at 4:45.You should not even be looking at these
devices during class.If special
circumstances dictate that an electronic device needs to be set to make noise,
including vibration, you must notify the instructor in advance.

-Do not talk while
either I am lecturing or other students are contributing to class discussion and
debate.

-During class, your
complete attention should be on class.This means you should not be doing any other readings, written work,
games, puzzles, etc. during class.

-Stay awake for the
entire class period.

-No eating is allowed
in class.

-Having questions
about the material read and presented is an important and expected part of the
learning process.If you have a
question of comprehension during class, please raise your hand and ask
immediately.If you have an aside
question during a lecture, please wait until the end of the lecture before
asking the question.You may have a
question that arises outside of class.Please feel free to email me with your question and he will reply as soon
as possible.

-The classroom
environment will remain respectful at all times, whether lecture time or class
discussions/debates.A
diversity of individuals, backgrounds, experiences, belief systems, ideas and
opinions will be present in class.This diversity is to be treated by everyone in class with mutual dignity
and respect.Be mindful of your
instructor and fellow students and abide by those expectations and rules set
forth by this university.Remember,
maximum learning can only take place in an environment where each and every one
of you feel open and unhindered to express your ideas and opinions, and carry on
an intellectual exchange with each other free from fear.

Should
the instructor find that a student is acting contrary to the above proper
classroom decorum, after one verbal warning, the student will be required to sit
down with the instructor outside of class and the inappropriate behavior will be
documented, with any follow-on administrative action explained to the
student.

3. Incomplete
grades will only be granted in the event of extraordinary circumstances
preventing a student from completing the assigned coursework within the given
course calendar.As a means of
maintaining fairness, the instructor reserves the right to ask for documentation
needed to support a request for an incomplete.Without documentation, the instructor
reserves the right to not assign an incomplete grade.

4.
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.Regarding plagiarism, the NIU
Undergraduate Catalog states that “students are guilty of plagiarism,
intentional or not, if they copy material from books, magazines, or other
sources without identifying and acknowledging them.Students guilty of or assisting others
in either cheating or plagiarism on an assignment, quiz, or examination may
receive a grade of F for the course involved and may be suspended or dismissed
from the university.”The
above statement encompasses a written assignmentin whole or in part by another; a paper
copied word-for-word or with only minor changes from another source; a paper
copied in part from one or more sources without proper identification and
acknowledgement of the sources; a paper that is merely a paraphrase of one or
more sources, using ideas and/or logic without credit even though the actual
words may be changed; and a paper that quotes, summarizes or paraphrases, or
cuts and pastes words, phrases, or images from an Internet source without
identification and the address of the web site.If you plagiarize, you will receive a
score of 0 (zero) on that assignment and will have to undergo the university
judicial process.

5.
In regards to religious observances, the University asks instructors to
make students aware of the following policy.“Northern Illinois University as a
public institution of higher education in the State of Illinois does not observe
religious holidays.It is the
university’s policy, however, to reasonably accommodate the religious
observances of individual students in regards to admissions, class attendance,
scheduling examinations and work requirements. Such policies shall be made
known to faculty and students. Religious observance includes all aspects
of religious observance and practice as well as belief. Absence from
classes or examinations for religious observance does not relieve students from
responsibility for any part of the course work required during the period of
absence. To request accommodation, students who expect to miss classes,
examinations or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance
shall provide instructors with reasonable notice of the date or dates they will
be absent.” The instructor is respectful and fully supportive of students who
wish to participate in religious observances.Excused absences will be provided, but
students must understand and follow the above policy with respect to reasonable
notice and making up work.

6.
In regards to students with disabilities: student who believes that reasonable accommodations with
respect to course work or other academic requirements may be appropriate in
consideration of a disability must (1) provide the required verification of the
disability to the Center for Access-Ability Resources, (2) meet with the Center
for Access-Ability Resources to determine appropriate accommodations, and (3)
inform the faculty in charge of the academic activity of the need for
accommodation. Students are encouraged to inform the faculty of their requests
for accommodations as early as possible in the semester, but must make the
requests in a timely enough manner for accommodations to be appropriately
considered and reviewed by the university. If contacted by the faculty member,
the staff of the Center for Access-Ability Resources will provide advice about
accommodations that may be indicated in the particular case. Students who make
requests for reasonable accommodations are expected to follow the policies and
procedures of the Center for Access-Ability Resources in this process, including
but not limited to the Student Handbook.

A wide range of services
can be obtained by students with disabilities, including housing,
transportation, adaptation of printed materials, and advocacy with faculty and
staff. Students with disabilities who need such services or want more
information should contact the Center for
Access-Ability Resources at 815-753-1303.

7.
In the rare circumstance that the instructor is for some reason
detained from making it to class on-time, the students are only expected
to wait 15 minutes.If the
instructor does not arrive by the time the classroom clock shows 8:15, the
students are free to leave class.In case the university cancels class for severe weather or some emergency
situation, I will email all students as far in advance as
possible.

8.
The only individuals allowed in the classroom during class time are the
enrolled students, the instructor, and guests of the instructor.In case of daycare problems, please have
a backup plan as children will not be allowed in class.

Opportunities

1.
Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to consult the Department of Political
Science web site on a regular basis. This up-to-date, central source of
information will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, reviewing
course requirements and syllabi, exploring graduate study, researching career
options, tracking department events, and accessing important details related to
undergraduate programs and activities. To reach the site, go to http://polisci.niu.edu.

2.
Please take advantage of the University Writing Center.The Writing Center is a great resource,
and with their help, students can greatly enhance their academic experience at
NIU. Good writing is an important part of any successful college career, and the
Writing Center is there to help students improve their writing skills.

3. The Department
of Political Science recognizes, on an annual basis, outstanding undergraduate
papers written in conjunction with 300-400 level political science courses or
directed studies, such as independent studies or honors theses. Winners are
expected to attend the Department’s spring graduation ceremony where they will
receive a certificate and a check for $50.00. No more than two papers may be
submitted by a student.There is no
requirement as to the length of papers submitted for the award. Often the
Department awards prizes for both an outstanding short paper and an outstanding
long paper. The number and types of award is dependent upon the papers submitted
for consideration in any given year. Authors do not have to be political science
majors or have a particular class standing. Only papers written in the previous
calendar year are considered for the award. However, papers completed in the
current spring semester are eligible for the following year’s competition even
if the student has graduated. Papers can be submitted by students or
faculty and must be supplied in triplicate to the
undergraduatesecretary. All
copiesmust have two cover pages – one with
the student’s name and one without the student’s name. Papers are not to
be stapled or bound. Instead, please use paper
clips. Papers are generally due in March and
notice of call for papers and submission deadlineswill be published
in the department e-announcements. You may also contact the department for
information at 753-1015.

4.
The department offers many other awards, scholarships, travel
opportunities to Oxford or elsewhere, internships, an honors
program, and organizational memberships.Please consult the department’s website
and the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Scot Schraufnagel (815-753-7054), for information on these
opportunities.You are encouraged
to take advantage of as many of these as possible.If interested in Model UN, please
contact Dr. Andrea Radasanu
(815-753-7052).

5.The department’s undergraduate
advisor is Johnathan Peterson.For any advising issues or concerns,
please contact him (815-753-7045) as he is an

outstanding resource.His office is in the political science
department, fourth floor Zulauf
Hall.